Official Mail

Official Mail

Official Mail refers to mail emanating from government departments on official government business. Most departments have their own pre-printed envelopes, postcards or forms. The varietydifferent departments and stylesenvelopes is quite staggering. More recently many offices used a generic envelope to which they would apply their department cachet and/or an adhesive address label.

OHMSOn Her Majesty's Service 1837-1901

Inland Revenue cover from Dublin to Dalkey with 6 Jan.1887 OFFICIAL PAID handstamp.

As one can imagine, the Inland Revenue produced many covers and these are quite common especially in the later halfthe 20th century.

OHMSOn His Majesty's Service 1901-1922

Uncancelled Post Office form letter dated 3 July 1925, still using pre-independance stationery for departmental correspondence. No postal markings.

The transferauthority and controlthe Post Office to the Irish Free State government took place on April 1, 1922.

The printing warrant inside this form indicates it was printed in March 1920.

Generic Saorstát Éireann envelope used with ÉIRE economy address label affixed and
franked with a 2 1/2d stamp because it is no on official business but for private use from Kanturk '13 Jan 45'.
It seems the different Irish administrations did use up old stationery by either overprinting, especially between
1922-1925 or as in this case by providing a new label for old stationery.

ÉIRE
RepublicIreland 1948-Present

Small generic RepublicIreland envelope as indicated by the 'Harp' design that was also impressed on the backsome envelopes instead.

The applicationa rubber certifying handstamps, in this case PresidentIreland, to generic envelopes became quite a common usage and there are many to collect.